The Impacts Of Dealers' Response Behaviors On Relationship Quality

The purpose of this study is to focus on local dealers and manufacturers to clear the relationship between their behaviors and relationship quality. By recalling the dealers'four types of response behaviors, we built a model between them and relationship quality they apperceive and used empirical research methods to test it. These four types of response behaviors are constructive discussion, passive acceptance, venting and disengagement. In this study, we identified several key dimensions of relationship quality. These several key dimensions are trust, commitment and expectation to relationship. Through the literature review we defined the study scope and variables, and based on previous theoretical model to put forward our hypothesis.We concentrated the study in only one industry to make differences between previous studies. Preliminary studies carried through in multiple industries in the durable goods manufacturing, and sampled from a wide range of industries to verify assumptions without strict inspection of the industry background. And the result of study results may be affected by these multiple industries, thus do not represent the special circumstances of a particular industry. In addition, since foreign channel members'behaviors are different from the Chinese, their would be a very different conclusion. For these reasons, it is very necessary to makes our own research into the relationship between the channel behaviors and relationship quality. We chose the garment industry for its notable features, such as seasonal spending, volatile markets, operating risks and channel relations instability, and we chose dealers to do the inspection.In this study, the quantitative research methods were used. We improved precedent scales to get our questionnaire. SPSS 10.0 software was used to analyze questionnaire data obtained. 12 hypotheses were advanced in this study to test the reaction of the four types of dealers'behaviors to the key dimensions of the relationship quality. Through the descriptive statistical analysis of data, reliability and validity testing and path analysis,we got the following certification: dealers'constructive discussions have positive impacts to dealers'commitment and relationship expectation, and dealers' passive acceptance has positive impacts to dealers'trust, commitment and relationship expectation. Venting has a negative impact on dealers'commitment, and has a positive impact on dealers'expectation to the relationship. Dealers'disengagement has negative impacts on their trust and their expectation to the relationship. The 9 hypothesis of 12 were validated, and one of the 9 got a contrary result. Three of the 12 hypothesis weren't validated.Through the analysis to the results, we got some conclusions of the study.Firstly, this research has once again proven the relationship between channel members'behaviors and the relationship quality they apperceived. There are close links between behavior and relationship quality. Majority of the assumptions have been verified, and path analysis showed that different responses have different impact s to the relations between dealers and manufacturers. These results are not only been verified by the preliminary studies abroad, but also been carried out in the local area.Secondly, the results show the four kinds of reaction behaviors'impact direction and impact extent to trust, commitment and relationship expectation. For example, dealers'constructive discussions have significant positive impacts to dealers'commitment and relationship expectation, and dealers'passive acceptance has positive impacts to dealers'trust, commitment and relationship expectation. Venting has a negative impact on dealers'commitment, and has a positive impact on dealers'expectation to the relationship. Dealers'disengagement has negative impacts on their trust and their expectation to the relationship. All these results are helpful for manufacturers to distinguish key behaviors of dealers, and they can also make integration considerations to establish their channel strategy by the different relationships between acts and relationship quality.Thirdly, the results show that the preliminary study findings of foreign channels members are not entirely the same as local market environment ones. Findings in the interactive process showed that even the same reactions of the behaviors also can have different effects to relationship quality between abroad and indigenous one. As the market environment and the culture differences make it also different in channels'evolution and maturity, it is not surprising to get different study results. All these differences to a certain extent can make it possible for the comparative study between domestic and foreign channels.